Having previously record black type success overseas, as well as finishing third in last year’s G1 VRC Melbourne Cup, Ciaron Maher’s Roaring Lion gelding Middle Earth (GB) delivered connections his first Australian stakes victory, taking out the $200,000 G3 BRC JRA Chairman’s Handicap (2000m) at Doomben.
Starting well in the money, Middle Earth settled on the rail with just three behind him after jumping from gate four in the field of 13 as the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained Just Fine (IRE) went forward where he was keen to lead.
Matt Dunn’s Sea King (GB) went forward to sit on his outside of the leader, while the Waterhouse and Bott trained Alalcance (GB) was another to head forward, settling in third.
With no mid-race moves, the order was pretty much unchanged throughout, but as Just Fine took the field into the straight, the runs started to come.
Having cornered with just one run behind him, Ethan Brown stuck to the inside rails aboard Middle Earth with the 6yo gelding powering to the lead with 150m to run, pulling clear to score by a length from the fast-finishing Belvedere Boys for the Matt Dunn stable.
The winner’s stablemate Royal Supremacy (IRE) took third just ahead of Future History (GB) who was having his first start for the Gregory Hickman yard.
“He was very strong through the line last time and I thought the step up in distance today would suit,” said Maher. “It was a pretty cool ride by Brownie, I thought we were in a fair bit of trouble coming to the turn, but he got a skinny run up the rail so it was a brave ride.
“The horse ran a great race in the Melbourne Cup last year, so it's good to see him come back well and I'm really pleased for Qatar racing and all his connections.
“We'll head towards the Q22 with him now."
“We gave him a nice big break after the Spring Carnival with a view to bringing him up to Brisbane for the winter carnival. It's great to get a win on the board nice and early.
“Ethan is a quality jockey and a great kid, I'm rapt that he was able to fly back from Hong Kong to take this ride and Jimmy in the Doomben 10,000.”
Back from Hong Kong for three rides at the Doomben meeting, it was great to see Brown pick up a stakes victory.
“I've only got three rides here today, so it's great to get a win on the board with my second ride,” said Brown. “He's been a good horse to me, obviously we ran third in the Melbourne Cup last year and he seems to be getting better with age.”
“These imports tend to take time to produce their best, and I think the application of winkers helped today because they sharpened him up a bit. The further he goes the better he'll get, so I think he's in for a good prep.
“He missed the kick so I was happy to take my medicine and get onto the favourite's back. I was keen to save ground by staying on the fence and we were lucky enough to get the gap when we needed it.”
Taking his earnings to $1,389,040 from his six wins, Middle Earth was previously raced by Qatar Racing, who still retain a share in his ownership, but now runs for a big group of Maher’s stable clients and was foaled and raised at Tweenhills in the UK.
A half-brother to the Chris Waller trained G1 winner Buckaroo and also stakes-placed Siege Of Troy, the trio are out of the stakes-winning Galileo mare Roheryn, a daughter of G3-winning More than Ready mare La Chunga.
His sire Roaring Lion only ever had one crop of foals and has produced 55 winners from 90 runners which includes eight stakes winners highlighted by G1 winners Dubai Mile and Kingswood.
